SOCI 365 Midterm One Flashcards
What is the definition of a social problem?
A social condition or behavior that is thought to warrant public concern and collective action
What were sociologies founders like, Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber concerned with?
social issues
What were other sociological masters like herbert Blumer, Erving Goffman, and Howard Becker(less common name) known for contributing to?
contributing to symbolic interactionist approach
What did early sociologist believe about improving social life?
Early sociologists believed that humanity could improve social life through the systematic study of social issues
Who are some of the early sociologists who emphasized the importance of social research and change and give an example?
Emile Durkeim, Karl Marx, and Max Weber. for example Durkeims work “divisions of labour in society” and Marxs “Capital”
What is the social perspective on social problems today?
Sociologist still struggle to understand the patterns of social life that cause social problems
What are the two elements of social problems from a sociological standpoint?
Objective elements and subjective elements
What are the objective elements in the context of social problems?
Objective elements are the measurable features of a social problem like the scientific or empirically verifiable aspects
How does sociology view subjective elements in social problems?
Sociology recognizes that subjective elements involve peoples evaluations of sensed reality including moralistic labels and explanations
How does sociology define a social problem as both a condition and a process?
Sociology defines a social problem as both a condition (an empirically observed situation threatening well-being) and a process (a sequence of events leading to collective remedial action).
What is the sociological imagination, and how does it help understand social problems?
The sociological imagination is the ability to connect personal troubles to larger social issues. It helps individuals see the connections between their own lives and the broader social context, enabling a better understanding of how social problems affect individuals. connects personal troubles to the larger social issues
What are microsociology and macrosociology, and why are both levels of analysis important for understanding social problems?
Micro-level sociology focuses on interactions between individuals in small groups which studies the peoples understanding and experiences of social problems at the local personal level, while macrosociology explores societal institutions and changes. Both levels are essential for understanding social problems as they reveal how public issues can translate into private troubles and vice versa.
Why is it challenging to prioritize the causes of social problems?
It is challenging to prioritize the causes of social problems because most problems have multiple causes and consequences, making it difficult to determine where to start the analysis.
what is social Constructionism?
A sociological approach that examines the way people create a shared interpretation of social reality
Where was the conflict theory drawn from? and what does it mean?
From Marx and Engels, it highlights conflict and change as permanent features of society
What is post-Modernism?
Is a style of thinking that denies the validity of universal, sweeping statements about the world or groups of people within the world. analyzes motives behind statements and consequences of people believing them
What is post-structuralism?
focuses on analytical deconstruction
Define class consciousness?
An awareness of ones place in social class structure
What is social mobility?
The movement of people from one social class to another during there lifetime
What is intergenerational income elasticity?
the correlation between a parents and a child’s income
Who introduced the notion of social class and its relation to poverty and inequality in his social, economic, and philosophical works?
Karl Marx
What group of people have the lowest poverty rates among all OECD countries according to Low Income Measure (LIM) or Low Income Cut-Off(LICO)?
Canadian seniors
What does the cross-national evidence show about the poverty line?
shows that the poverty line is elastic, responding both to changes in real income and to the success of advocates fighting to increasing social welfare.
What is the Human Development Index
A combined measure of achievement in three areas of human development - life expectancy at birth, literacy, and GDP per capita
What city in canada has higher rates of poverty and unemployment?
Quebec
What place has lower rates of poverty
Southern ontario
what can a capitalist economy not be maintained equitably without?
social policy
What is a welfare state?
A social system in which the government undertakes the responsibility of providing for the social and economic security of its citizens
What is Welfarism in response to?
To the negative effects of capitalism and the needs of the new working class
what gave the rise of the welfare state?
Creation of a capitalist labour market and working class, and the freeing of this class from the means of production
who ideas heavily influence conflict theory?
Karl Marx and Max Weber
What is the main belief of structural functionalism regarding poverty?
inequality and poverty motivate people to work harder to improve their life conditions
What is the main belief of conflict theory regarding poverty?
by exploiting workers through poor working conditions and poor pay, owners amass more wealth for themselves
What is the main belief of Symbolic Interactionism?
focus on labels attributed to “wealthy” and “poor” and have labels like “lazy” attached to poor making stereotypes
Define decommodification
which individuals and families can afford an acceptable standard of living independently of market participation 46
what is relative income hypothesis?
the proposal that income inequality alone is enough to bring on various health problems including premature mortality, within a population
Who contended that a revolution that would eliminate ruling class forever by eliminating private property by putting means of production in the hands of the state would better conditions?
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
Define Culture
set values and practices that frame peoples lives
Define vertical mosaic
refers to a socio-economic hierarchy which french and english canadians live on top and the other ethnic minorities live below
define institutional completeness
a measure of the degree to which an immigrant ethnic group gives its own members the services they need through their own local institutions
what does diaspora mean?
means the global spread of migrant of any ethic group and there culture
what is structural functionalism perspective on ethnicity?
ethnic identity provides a social connectedness in an individualistic society
what is conflict theory perspective on ethnicity?
majority groups benefit from excluding and marginalizing minority groups
what is symbolic interactionalism perspective on ethnicity?
ethnic differentiation is constructed by a labelling process
what is feminist theory perspective on ethnicity?
Racialized minorities experience different types of victimization caused by inequality
what is structural theory perspective on ethnicity?
minorities that are more visible are streamed into the secondary labour market and rarely into the primary market
what does institutional racism mean
any systematic bias that is embedded in an existing social structure,policy, or process that derives some groups of equal access
what does aversive racists mean
those who sympathize with the victims of past injustice and support the public policies that promote racial equality but who still have prejudicial veiws towards other races
What is the objective related to theoretical perspectives on ethnic and racial inequalities?
the objective is to understand different theoretical perspectives on ethnic and racial inequalities
how do sexism and racism intersect creating unique challanges for women in visible minorities groups?
in some immigrant communities social standards regarding appropriate gendered behavior clash with those accepted in north amarica which can create conflict
what challenges do immigrant women face regarding intimate partner violence?
Immigrant women may be vulnerable to unique forms of abuse in which partners may threaten to report them to the authorities or have them deported if they choose to speak out against their abuser.
What is the result of discrimination in the workplace along racial and ethnic lines?
Indigenous people, members of visible-minority groups and recent immigrants to canada experience lower-than-average employment and pay rates in most in most regions of canada
What legislative efforts have been made to address racism and inequality in Canada?
Efforts include the Employment Equity Act and the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, aimed at promoting equality and addressing racism.
What is significance of considering service in redistribution studies?
the redistributive effect of services is a crucial aspect to consider because it can significantly impact income distribution and provide a more complete view of how welfare states influence equality
What does Bergh’s research suggest about education spending and income inequality?
Bergh’s study indicates that spending on lower levels of education can reduce income inequality by diminishing human capital differentials, while spending on higher education can have the opposite effect.
Why is child poverty reduction an important measure of welfare state redistribution?
Child poverty reduction is crucial as it directly tests the Rawlsean maximin principle of justice, which aims to benefit the worst-off. It also relates to vertical, Robin Hood redistribution.
which countries are typically the most redistributive in reducing child poverty?
Nordic countries
How does maternal employment impact child poverty?
Maternal employment significantly reduces child poverty rates, often by a factor of three or four. High maternal employment rates are associated with greater child poverty reduction especially in vulnerable families
What is the role of government transfers in reducing elderly poverty?
Government transfers account for a significant portion of post redistribution inequality among the elderly. Different countries have varying retirement policies and pension systems that affect elderly poverty
What are some demographic factors that can influence income inequality and poverty rates?
Demographic factors, such as the age composition and family structure in a society, can impact income inequality and poverty rates. Some countries may have more favorable demographics for poverty reduction.
How can simulation studies help analyze the impact of welfare state policies?
Simulation studies use artificial data to assess how different policy models would affect income inequality and poverty, providing insights into the effectiveness of various welfare state policies.
what coincided with the rise of sociology in the 19th century?
Modern societies
According to a structural functionalist what would be solved if there was a way to slow the pace of societal change and strengthen normal norms?
social problems
what century has the most technological progress with as much intentional death and destruction?
Twentieth century
Define subjective elements
Beliefs and evaluations that influence peoples behaviors
